Last summer DD and I were at WDW and one of her best friends worked at Disney in the college program. She called and invited DD to spend the day in AK. I do not like Animal Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Orlando and there was no way I wanted to spend the day in the same park...so I did a LOT of praying and let her go by herself on the bus to meet her friend at Animal Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Orlando while I did the shopping monorail resorts. She was fine. She was almost 21. (she's my baby-youngest-only girl...may have trouble letting go....) but it was good for both of us to spend time a part. We are hoping her friend will still be there this year when we get there this year. I am sure they will want to do it again. I am happy to say I am ready for it this year!

I have gone through the whole "but we want to do (insert attraction here) " syndrom. Thankfuly with the advent of cell phones and knowing that Walt Disney World Security is about the best you can get I defaulted to the whines and cries. DS was 14 and DD was 12 when I first let them "wander", but we were all in the same park and they had a set time to meet us for meals. This last trip DS was 18 and DD 15...they pretty much went into whatever park they wanted after the rest of us went back to the resort to sleep or swim. Knowing they were on Disney property and had a cell phone to contact them with made it easier.

I believe our daughter was about 13 the first time we let her go back to the room without us. We were at Epcot, and it was pouring-my husband and I wanted to do some shopping, she wanted to go back to the room at the Beach Club. She had her phone, and I did feel nervous having her go on her own, but she called when she got to the room. I do feel like WDW is one of the safest places kids can wander on their own-because not only are there so many cast members, but there are so many families. You know how they say kids should find a mom with kids if ever they feel unsafe? They wouldn't have to look far for that in WDW.

We tend to stick together in the parks, it is just the three of us, and my daughter and I love the rides, my husband gets motion sick easily. So with us, it is letting my daughter go back to the room by herself, I think she relishes the alone time after being with us so much! She is almost 18 now, and she does enjoy doing her own thing now and again.

Being able to communicate by phone really does help alleviate parental fears. I would never have let her go on her own at 13 without being able to contact her.

I would let them wander the parks themselves as long as they either:
a) have a mobile so you can contact them; or
b) agree to meet you a couple of times a day to make sure they are OK (mealtimes would probably be the best way for this)

Not sure I would allow an 11 year-old on the boat without an adult regardless of how well behaved they are.

So I'd say it was OK for them to go around the park, but no OK to travel to the parks on their own.

Last trip DS was 15, but 6ft 3". He wanted to stay at the BC while we went to Disney Hollywood Studios theme park at WDW. We agreed that he would meet us under the hat at 4pm. He caught the boat from YC and was there dead on 4pm - a very happy lad. I did worry about him (he is my baby).
Just make sure that you set rules and they stick to them.

It was a different time but back in the 70's I had two aunts working at the Magic Kingdom. They would get us in the park each morning and turn us loose with a fistful of ride tickets and $5 for lunch money.

I was seven and my brother was five. Man, have times changed. Now my daughter is nine and I GPS tag her when we go to WDW even though she is almost never out of my site.

Next trip, in addition to my DD10 (she will be by then) we will be taking my former step-daughter who is 15 and my ex-wife's new kid who will be 4. The 15 and 10 are trying to convince me that I can watch the little one while they go off by their self. I'm still nervous. Where did I pack those GPS tags?